Tirukkural Chapter 80 - Couplets 7,8,9,10 Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

திருக்குறள் -TIRUKKURAL
அதிகாரம் 80 - நட்பாராயதல்
CHAPTER 80 - TESTING FRIENDSHIP.
***
80/07. ஊதியம் என்பது ஒருவற்குப் பேதையார்
கேண்மை ஒரீஇ விடல்.

80/07. Oothiyam enbadhu oruvarrkkup pedhaiyaar
Kennmai orree vidal.

80/07. It must be a windfall for one
If he is leaving his unwise friends.
***
Indrajit: Unwise friends are not real friends,
but they're harmful companions.
If one sends them out, he is fortunate.

Niranjan: One must learn from friends
But from these unwise companions
What is there special to gain?
Nothing from them to learn.

If they leave, it is good for him,
As he's not corrupted by them,
And it is a lesson he has learnt
In his life time, he'll not forget it.

Elders' advice no one listens,
But when he burns his fingers,
Then he regrets for his faults,
And tries to make amends.
***
80/08. உள்ளற்க உள்ளம் சிறுகுவ; கொள்ளற்க
அல்லற்கண் ஆற்றுப்பார் நட்பு.

80/08. Ullarrka ullam sirrukuva; kollarrka
Allarrkann aatrruppaar natpu.

80/08. One must not do an action that will reduce his zeal.
Likewise, one must not have that friend
who leaves him at time of adversity.
***
Indrajit: He is not a human being to leave his friend when he is in troubles.

Niranjan: A friend enjoys his fortunes,
But doesn't like his misfortunes
And runs away from him
At that crucial crisis time.

Such friends are time servers
And they're not real friends,
As they share one's profits
But not his unfortunate losses.

Find out, one is of what kind,
And then select him as your friend?
Is he a real or fake person?
Throw him out if he's fake one.
***
80/09. கெடுங்காலைக் கைவிடுவார் கேண்மை அடுங்காலை
உள்ளினும் உள்ளம் சுடும்.

80/09. Kedungkaalaik kaividuvaar kennmai adungkaalai
Ullinum ullam sudum.

80/09. A person will regret till the time of his death
his friend leaving him at the time of his adversity.
***
Indrajit: How can one forget a friend left him out right
At the time of his adversity?

Niranjan: When fortune favored him
His friend was with him.
When misfortune visited him
His friend had left him.

This betrayal of his friend
Had deeply affected his mind
That he'll remember it always
Until his final rest in peace.

But it is whose fault
If his friend had left
At the time of a crisis?
This God only knows.
***
80/10. மருவுக மாசற்றார் கேண்மைஒன்று ஈத்தும்
ஒருவுக ஒப்பில்லார் நட்பு.

80/10. Maruvuga maasatrraar kennmaiondru eeththum
Oruvuga oppillaar natpu.

80/10. Take one who is worldly wise, with no faults, as your friend.
If one is not like that, give him one, whatever he wants, and leave his company.
***
Indrajit: If one is not wise enough to be a friend,
Give him something and leave him once for all,
This is what the poet says in his 800th
couplet of 80th chapter.

Niranjan: It is a sound advice
What the poet gives
As the 800th couplet
In this 80th chapter.

He said these things
Some 2000 years back
But there is not much
Of a change even today.

Mankind remains the same
With or without blame.
So, it appears that the poet
Wrote Tirukkural yesterday only.
***